Chapter 76
RYKER’S PO.V
Everything happened so fast, one minute, Cami was talking to that man and the next minute, there
was an arrow sticking out of the right side of her torso. I
caught her as she fell and the entire square fell into chaos. I could see the doctors rushing to get to her
but my focus was finding what direction that arrow came from. I looked around until I saw Frederick
mounted atop a building holding a crossbow. His eyes met mine and he smirked.
Pure and undiluted rage filled me and threatened to spill over. I nced at Cami and although didn’t
want to leave her, I knew I had to get Frederick. I made sure she was safe in the doctor’s hands and
took off after him. I could hear a few guards following me but I didn’t care about them I had one target
and I was not going to rest until I was standing above his dying corpse.
Frederick took off into the woods and without a thought, I followed him. He expertly weaved through the
trees and it struck me that Frederick knew the woods. a little too well. The trees were dense and
difficult to navigate but somehow, he knew where he had to go. My wolf pressured me to shift but in this
kind of forest, it would be harder to navigate in wolf form because of how close the trees were. I forced
his pressure into the back of my mind and focused on my target. Once I got close enough, Iunched
myself on him and we both tumbled to the ground. Before he could recover, I mmed my face and I
felt a sick.
fist into his sense of pride fill me when I heard the cracking of bone and I saw blood rushing from his
nose. I wanted to beat him to death but I also knew that I would have more fun with him in the pce
dungeons so I dragged him to his feet. Despite. being caught, he was smirking and it grated on my
nerves.
“Even if you take me back now, I already got my target. If she dies, you cannot hurt me because I am
heir to the throne,” heughed maniacally. “If she lives then. I die a happy man knowing I got a part of
of my vengeance.”
“She will not die and you will not be heir to the throne.”
“Your children can be easily disposed of,” I didn’t let him finish his sentence before I punched him
again. He spat blood out of his mouth and red at me. “Tell me, Prince consort, where are your
guards or are you yet to notice that we are alone?”
It was at that exact moment that it hit me just how quiet the forest was. There were no crickets or birds
chirping and I knew that meant only one thing- there was a greater predator keeping them silent. I was
on edge immediately and I looked around trying to find the attackers through the dense trees. Frederick
used my momentary distraction to deliver a swift elbow strike and once he was out of my hold, the
others, rushed out.
There were at least five of them and they rushed me at once. I was so grateful for
the extra knife I always kept in my pants because as soon as the first one got close enough, I slit his
throat. It caused the other four to pause in their tracks as if they were rethinking their decision. I looked
around only to notice that Frederick was nowhere to be seen. He used the attack as a means to get
away and I was furious. I turned to the men who were responsible for his getaway and I ughtered
them save for one who tried to run.
I grabbed him and knocked him out then dragged his limp body by the arm back towards the square.
The square had been cleared and I noticed the only people. still waiting were guards. As soon as they
saw me, they sighed in relief. I just tossed the limp body at their feet.
“Frederick got away but he was working with him. Make sure he is watched day. and night in the cells.
If he gets away then you will take his ce.”
Their eyes widened in fear and I saw them swallow deeply as they lifted the body. It had been a while
since I had a need to threaten anyone but I was done ying the nice guy. If threatening people was
the only thing that could keep my mate safe then so be it. Everyone steered out of my path as I got into
thest carriage remaining. I was told that Christine had left with the girls and Cami had been taken
to the pce hospital to be treated.
“Where to, your majesty?” the coach asked without meeting my eye.
“Take me to my mate.”
The ride was long and the entire time, Cami was all I could think of. As soon as the carriage stopped,
I was out and rushing inside. Prior to today, I had always. wondered why a physician’s office needed to
be in the pce but now, I didn’t need to question it. It was in a part of the pce that I had never been
and I never thought I would need to be. As I got to the door, I hesitated, I was not ready for what I
would find.
I took a deep breath to calm myself and opened the door. The physician was a man in his fifties. He
was a pack healer and his family had worked with the pce for years. His son was a little over twenty
and rushing around to get him somet vials. My eyes went to Cami who was lying on the table. The
shaft of the arrow had been broken off but it was still embedded in her. I didn’t make a sound because I
didn’t want to alert them to
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my presence.
I watched as they had to rip the top part of her dress to see the arrow. On a normal day, I would be
jealous and possessive but I couldn’t even bring myself to conjure up those emotions. I held my breath
when the physician wrapped his hand around what was left of the arrow and pulled. A low moan of pain
left Cami and that was when I moved. I had no idea she was still awake because her eyes were
closed. I brushed past the physician and his son and went to stand by her side.
“Are you alright?” I asked and she managed a weak nod.
“You left me,” she used and I felt a part of my heart shatter.
The physician and his son were working in silence trying to pretend like they
couldn’t overhear our conversation but I didn’t care for their presence. As long as they did everything
sin their power to make her better, I didn’t care if they listened in. I lifted my hand and stroked her damp
hair
“I am so sorry that I didn’te with you. I wanted to catch up to Frederick. I couldn’t let him get away
with what he had done. Please, forgive me.”
She didn’t speak but when I slipped my hand into hers, she squeezed it. She closed her eyes and
flinched slightly as they cleaned up her wound and bandaged it. I kept my eyes fixated on her because
I couldn’t bear to look at her knowing that I had failed to catch the man who did that to her. It took
fifteen minutes for them to finish up with her and once she was bandaged, I caught the eye of the
physician. I could tell he wanted to speak to me.
I leaned down and ced a kiss on Cami’s forehead. “I will be back in a second, okay?”
She managed a weak nod and I reluctantly let go of her. The son fussed over her and gave her a
mixture to take. I didn’t know what it was but I decided to trust that they wouldn’t try to hurt her with me
in the room. I followed the physician to the far end where they wouldn’t identally overhear us.
“What is it?” I asked and he cast a wary nce at Cami who was still lying on the bed.
“The arrow was dipped in poison, I believe whoever shot it meant to kill,” he exined slowly. “The
potion my son gave her is meant to neutralize the effects. of that poison but there is no guarantee that
it will work. If the poison has seeped too far into her system then we may be toote.”
“Is there no way to know if it has gone too far?” He shook his head. “What do we do now?”
“We wait for her to wake up.”
“What do you mean by wake up? She is awake,”
lying limp but the steady rise and fall of her churned to Cami who was now
served as a reminder that she was alive. I turned to the physician and grabbed his shirt. “What did you
do to her?”
“For the tonic to work, she had to fall asleep. I am afraid that we will not know anything until she wakes
up- if she wakes up.”
“You are telling me that you may have put my mate in a sleep that could end in death,” he swallowed
deeply at the coldness in my tone.
“I am sorry, your majesty, it was the only way.”
I squared my shoulders and stood up straight. “For your sake, you better hope it was the right way.”